Ball control mechanism for pinball games



Nov. 9, 1937. B. E. MILLS BALL CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PINBALL GAMES Filed Dec. 24, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l am a? Wzwa za -A-PA 6 6.

Nov, 9, 1937.

B. E, MILLS BALL CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PINBALL GAMES I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1934 MA A Patented Nov. 9, 193.7

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BALL CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PINBALL GAMES of Illinois Application December 24, 1934, Serial No. 758,910

9 Claims.

This invention relates to pin ball game apparatus and particularly to a novel form of control mechanism which is adapted to regulate the movement of the balls in a desired manner.

One of the important objects of the invention is to provide in a game apparatus of the character referred to an electrically operated ball control mechanism consisting of a series of cir-' V cuit closing members arranged in spaced relation along a downwardly inclined guide chute which is positioned to receive a ball rolling from the playing board, and in combination therewith, means for momentarily arresting movement of the ball down the chute after the ball has engaged one of said members and before engagement thereof with the next succeeding member, whereby to effect successive actuations of the several circuit closing members in a predetermined time relation regardless of the speed at which the actuating ball enters the upper end of the guide chute.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with a control mechanism of the type specified, a ball runway having a series of movable stop members whichare arranged to be operated by the control mechanism to effect stepby-step advance movement of a ball along the runway through a series of score-indicating positions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein I have shown the preferred form in which I have thus far contemplated applying the principles of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved control mechanism, the view also showing a fragmentary portion of a ball runway and a ball stop mecha- I nism which is operated by the control mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a broken vertical section through the mechanism, the section being taken on line 2--7. of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detail section through the ball actuated control switch taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

The improved control mechanism can be used in various types of pin ball games and I have, therefore, illustrated in the drawings only such portions of a ball game apparatus as are necessary to give an understanding of one manner in which the mechanism may be used in apparatus of this general type. In the particular embodiment shown the ball game apparatus is designed to simulate the playing of a baseball game, The

numeral 5 designates the base of a pin table frame upon which the apparatus is supported, and the numeral 6 designates a panel or frame piece which is supported immediately below the playing board (not shown). A ball guide chute 'l is supported on frame member 6 in position to receive balls after they have fallen through various openings in the playing board in well-known manner, said chute being inclined downwardly as shown in Fig. 2 so that a ball entering the chute from the trough 8 positioned at the upper end thereof, will roll downwardly along the chute by gravity action, the ball ultimately reaching a curved portion 9 from which it is directed by an intermediate guide trough or channel (not shown) to a channel ll formed in a receptacle l2 which is suitably supported in the table frame.

It will be noted from Fig. 2 that channel I l is inclined downwardly so that a ball enterin the upper end thereof will roll to the left, viewing Fig. 2, emerging into a transverse runway I 3, the latter being also inclined downwardly so that a ball M which has just entered the upper end thereof from channel II will roll along the runway, ultimately emerging from the lower end thereof, from which point it is conducted to the projecting mechanism (not shown), to be again projected over the playing board. To indicate the score made on a particular play, means is provided for allowing a ball I 4 which has entered the upper end of runway l3 to advance along said runway through a series of score indicating positions, it being understood that said runway I3 is exposed to the view of the operator through a transparent panel which covers the top of the playing table. To permit this advance of a ball along runway l3 there is provided a series of stop arms l5, I6, I! and I8, consisting of metal rods which are adjustably secured at one end by setscrews Hi to a rock shaft 2|, the free ends of said arms being bent downwardly as indicated at 22 (Fig. 2), the downwardly bent portions being normally held in position to prevent a ball from rolling along runway l3 as clearly shown in Fig. v2. Rock shaft 2| is journalled at its opposite ends in bearings 23, which are fixedly secured to the wall portions of receptacle I2..

In accordance with my invention a control mechanism is provided for turning shaft 2| to effect movement of stop arms l5.l8 away from and back to ball obstructing position, thereby allowing a ball M which has entered the upper end of runway l3 to advance along the latter by step movements between stop arms l5-l8. This control mechanism is arranged to be operated by the rolling of a ball along guide chute and, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the mechanism is so designed that it will control the speed of movement of a ball along chute 1 in such a way as to effect movement of stop arms |5--|8 away from and back to obstructing position during the interval required for a ball to roll along runway |3 a distance sufficient to clear one of the stop arms |5--|8.

Shaft 2| is turned to raise arms |5-|8 from obstructing position by a solenoid 24, the armature 25 of which connects through a rod .25 with a crank arm 21, the latter being secured by a setscrew 28 to shaft 2 A coil spring 29, connected. at one end to set-screw 28, and at the other end to a fixed point on the frame, urges shaft 2| in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 2, to hold arms |5|8 in the ball obstructing position. When solenoid 24 is energized th'e armature 25 is pulled downwardly to produce a clockwise turning of shaft 2 I, viewing Fig. 2, this movement serving to raise arms |5-|8 sufiiciently to allow the ball l4 to roll under arm I5. When the solenoid is de-energized spring 29 returns arms |5--|8 to obstructing position. It will be apparent that if it is desired to advance ball l4 along runway l3 by step movements between arms |5|8, it will be necessary to accomplish repeated momentary energizations of solenoid 24. This is the function which is accomplished by my improved control mechanism.

The control circuit provided for effecting repeated momentary energizations of solenoid 24, through the movement of a ball downwardly along guide chute 1, includes a switch 3|, (Fig. 3) consisting of contacts Hand 33 supported on contact arms 34 and 35, respectively. These contact arms are secured to frame piece 6 by screws 36,

a strip of insulating material 31 being interposed to insulate the arms from one another. A wire 38 connects contact arm 34 with solenoid 24, and a second wire 39 connects arm 35 with the other side of the line through a source of power (not shown). Contact arm 34 is formed of resilient sheetmetal and normally assumes the open circuit position shown in Fig. 3. -A switch closing member consisting of a metal strip 4| is pivotally supported between a pair of brackets 42 and 43 which are supported on frame piece 6, the opposite ends of said strip 4| being turned downwardly as indicated at 45 and 46, said down-turned portions being pivotally connected with brackets 42 and 43, respectively, by shoulder screws 41.

As best shown in Fig. 1, strip 4| is positioned immediately below and slightly to one side of guide chute the lower .end thereof resting immediately above contact arm 34, being insulated from the latter by a tab of insulating material 43. The edge of strip 4| lying adjacent chute I is provided with three laterally projecting arms, 49, 50 and5l, which project below chute 1, the free ends thereof being provided with upwardly turned flanges, .52, 53 and 54, respectively, which are received in slots 55 formed in the bottom wall of chute As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, these flanges normally project slightly above the bottom wall of guide chute 1, being held in this position through the resiliency of spring contact arm 34.

.It will be apparent that a ball rolling from trough .8 into the upper end of guide chute 1 will first strike flange 52, the impact causing strip 4| to pivot in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 3, thereby closing switch 3| and energizing solenoid 24. This in turn results in movement of ball stop members |5--|8 away from obstructing position on ball runway l3. However, as soon as the actuating ball has rolled over flange 52, strip 4| is returned by contact arm 34 to open circuit position, thereby de-energizing solenoid 24 and allowing stop members |5-|8 to be returned to ball obstructing position by spring 29. This momentary energizing of solenoid 24 is repeated in turn by contact of the ball with flanges 53 and 54. It will be obvious that the movement of the actuating ball down guide chute 1 will gradually become accelerated, with the result that contacts 53 and 54 might in certain cases be engaged by the ball in such rapid succession that stop members |5| 8 would not have an opportunity to return to obstructing position between the successive energizations of solenoid 24. Frequently a ball might enter guide chute with considerable speed, in which case the aforementioned result would almost inevitably follow. In other cases, a ball might enter chute at a comparatively slow speed so that the ball stop members might be returned to obstructing position after the first energization, but possibly would not have time to return to that position between the second and third energizations.

In accordance with my invention, I avoid the difficulty encountered due to the accelerated movement of the ball down guide chute l by providing means for temporarily arresting movement of the ball along said chute between the successive contacts of the ball with flanges 52, 53 and 55. In the embodiment shown the means provided for this purpose consists of a V-shaped deflector strip 55 which is positioned in guide chute I immediately below and adjacent flange 52. A second deflector strip 5? of like form is placed in channel I immediately below and adjacent flange 53. The top or apex portions of these strips 53 and 5? project into channel I sufficiently so that a ball rolling over flange 52 for example, will strike strip 56 and will be momentarily stopped in its downward roll along chute '5, said strip 56 causing the ball to roll laterally in channel 7 until it clears the tip portion of strip 56, after which it proceeds to roll downwardly into engagement with flange 53. After contacting flange 53, the ball strikes deflector strip '51, being again momentarily brought to rest and ball rolling down channel i is thus momentarily brought to rest after it has engaged one of the switch closing flanges and before it moves into engagement with the next succeeding flange. The arrangement thus provides means whereby the solenoid 24 will remain energized upon each closing of switch 3| for an interval of time suiiicient to permit a ball M to clear one of the stop members on runway 3. Similarly, a ball 58 which has preceded the ball l4 into runway l3, will likewise be advanced one step along said runway, and a third ball 59, which rests against the lowermost stop member l8, will be released from that position by the same operation which advances balls l4 and 58 one step along runway l3. By the use of strips 56 and 5'! in the manner shown, I am thus able to obtain step-by-step advance of balls along runway 3 through the actuating force of a single ball rolling along guide ball-actuated stop member control elements chute I, the operation being such that regardless of the speed at which a ball may enter chute I, this step movement of the balls will be accurately maintained each time a ball traverses guide chute I.

In the embodiment shown guide chute l is provided with two additional delivery runways, GI and 62, the runway 6| being positioned to direct a ball into chute I so that it will contact only flanges 53 and 54, to produce two energizations of solenoid 24, and the runway 62 being positioned to deliver a ball into chute I so that it will contact only flange 54, to produce a single energization of a solenoid 24. A ball entering guide chute I from delivery runway or trough 8, as explained, will effect three energizations of solenoid 24, thereby advancing ball l4 along runway 13 three steps. This would correspond in a baseball game, for example, to a three-base hit. Similarly, a ball delivered from runway 6| would correspond to a two-base hit, and a ball entering from runway 62 would represent a one-base hit.

It will be understood that there may be considerable variation in the particular manner in which the control mechanism is used, depending upon the particular type of game involved. In the embodiment shown, as previously explained, balls which .have passed along guide chute 1 are directed through channel H to the upper end of runway l3 so that the same ball-s which are projected over the board serve as counter or tally balls after they have reached runway I3. In some cases, however, it may be preferred to employ an independent set of tally balls for movement along runway l3 which are maintained entirely separate from the balls which are projected over the board and which roll along guide chute 1 to operate the timing mechanism.

The foregoing detailed description has been for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pin ball game the combination with a playing board, of a downwardly inclined guide chute positioned to receive balls rolling from the board, a downwardly inclined ball runway, a series of movable stop members spaced along said runway in the path of movement of a ball thereon, and electrically operated means for moving said members away from and back to ball obstructing position on the runway, said means including an energizing circuit having a plurality of switch arms spaced along said guide chute in position to be successively actuated by a ball advancing thereon, and means for retarding advance of the actuating ball along said chute after making contact with one of said arms and before contacting the next succeeding arm, whereby to allow time for return of said stop members to ball obstructing position between successive closings of the energizing circuit.

2. In a pin ball game, the combination with a playing board, of a downwardly inclined guide chute arranged to receive balls rolling from the board, a downwardly inclined ball runway, a series of stop members spaced along said runway in the line of movement of a ball thereon, and means operated by passage of a ball along said chute for moving said members away from and back to obstructing position, whereby to effect step-by-step movement of a ball between said stop members, said means including a series of spaced along said chute, and means for regulating the roll of a ball along the chute to effect actuation of said control elements in a predetermined time relation regardless of the speed at which the ball enters the upper end of the. guide chute.

3. In a pin ball game,.the combination with a playing board, of a downwardly inclined guide chute positioned to receive balls rolling from the board, a downwardly inclined ball runway, a series of movable stop members spaced along said runway in the path of movement of a ball thereon, and means operated by movement of a ball along said guide chute for repeatedly moving said stop members in unison away from and back to obstructing position on the runway, said means being operative on each cycle of movement to hold said members in the non-obstructing position for an interval of time sufilcient to permit a ball to move from one stop member to the next succeeding stop member, whereby to efiect step-by-step advance of a ball along said runway between the stop members in timed sequence with the movement of the actuating ball along said guide chute.

4. In a game apparatus involving the use of a ball or balls, a guide chute adapted to receive a played ball and to have the same roll there'- through by gravity, a runway adapted to contain a counter or scoring member, said runway being so constructed that said counter or scoring member is movable therein by gravity when unobstructed, a movable stop device normally'obstructing movement of said member, means operated by a ball traveling in said chute for controlling the mcvement of said device toand from obstructing position to effect step-by-step advance of said member, said means including a plurality of ball-operated actuating elements spaced along said chute, and means for regulating the roll of a ball along the chute to effect actuation of said device at predetermined intervals regardless of the speed of the ball at the time it enters the chute.

5. In a game apparatus involving the use of a ball or balls, a guide chute adapted to receive a played ball and to have the same roll therethrough by gravity, a runway adapted to contain a counter or scoring member, said runway being so constructed that said counter or scoring member is movable therein by gravity when unobstructed, a movable stop device normally obstructing movement of said member, means operated by a ball traveling in said chute for controlling the movement of said device to and from obstructing position to efiect step-by-step advance of said member, said means including a plurality of ballcperated actuating elements spaced along said chute, and means for regulating the roll of a ball along the chute to efiect actuation of said device at predetermined intervals regardless of the speed of the ball at the time it enters the chute, said last-mentioned means comprising a plurality of ball-retarding devices projecting into the chute and located, respectively, adjacent said actuating elements.

6. In a game apparatus involving the use of a ball or balls, a guide chute adapted to receive a played ball and to have the same roll therethroughby gravity, a runway adapted to contain a counter or scoring member, said runway being so constructed that said counter or scoring member is movable therein by gravity when unobstructed, a movable stop device normally ob- :structing movement of said member, means operated by aball traveling in said chute for controllaterally from said ball-retarding devices to permit the ball to pass in a circuitous path around a the latter.

- 7. In a pin ball game, the combination with a playing board, of a downwardly inclined guide chute arranged to receive balls rolling from the board, a downwardly inclined ball runway, forming a continuation of said chute, a series of stop members spaced along said runway in the line of movement of ,a ball thereon, and means operated by passage of a ball along said chute for moving said members away from and back to obstructing position, whereby to effect step-bystep movement of a ball between said stop: members, said means including a series of ball-actuated stop member control elementsspaced along said chute, and means for regulating the roll of a ball along the chute to effect actuation of said control elements in a predetermined time relation regardless of the speed at which the ball enters the upper end of the guide chute.

8. In a pin ball game, the combination with a playing board, of a downwardly inclined guide chute arranged to receive balls rolling from the board, a downwardly inclined ball runway, arranged to receive balls from said chute, a series of stop members spaced along said runway in the line ofmovement of a ball thereon, and means operated by passage of a ball along said chute for moving said members away from and back to obstructing position, whereby to effect step-bystep movement of a ball between said stop members, said means including a series of ball-actuated stop member control elements spaced along said chute, and means for regulating the roll of a ball along the chute to efiect actuation of said control elements in a predetermined time relation regardless of the speed at which the ball enters the upper end of the guide chute.

9. In a pin ball game, the combination with a playing board, of a downwardly inclined guide chute arranged to receive balls rolling from the board, a downwardly inclined ball runway, extending at right angles to said chute and communicating with the lower end thereof to receive balls therefrom, a series of stop members spaced along said runway in the line of movement of a ball thereon, and means operated by passage or a ball along said chute for moving said members away from and back to obstructing position, whereby to effect step-by-step movement of a ball between said stop members.

' BERT E. MILLS. 

